Catholic School Teacher Fired Over In-Vitro Fertilization

[matcom]

<snip>


Kelly and Eric Romenesko and the Roman Catholic Church agree that childbirth is a gift of life.

A disagreement between the couple and the church, however, over the morality of in-vitro fertilization has cost Kelly Romenesko her job with the ACES/Xavier school system and the Catholic church a lifelong member.

The Romeneskos, of Buchanan, tried unsuccessfully for five years to start a family before they turned to in-vitro fertilization.

When Kelly, then a French teacher for ACES/Xavier, the system that runs Appleton's seven Catholic schools, told her boss in September 2004 she might need time off to undergo the procedure, she expected no problems. Though she was a lifelong Catholic, she had no idea the church opposes in-vitro fertilization.

"You have a person who is, by all the information I've got, a fine person and a fine teacher, but for the fact that her public announcement (to her employer) of her intentions (to become pregnant via in-vitro fertilization) was in direct violation of the teachings the church feels its youth should be taught," said ACES/Xavier attorney Gregory Gill Sr.

The church's position is spelled out in "Donum Vitae," a 1987 church instruction on "respect for human life in its origin and the dignity of procreation." The document — Latin for "Gift of Life" — was written by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, now Pope Benedict XVI.

It teaches that in-vitro fertilization is immoral. By employing medical technology to commingle her eggs with her husband's sperm, Romenesko had violated two clauses in her teaching contract: to uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church, and to act and teach in accordance with Catholic doctrine and the church's moral and social teachings.

"I kind of thought that (the contract terms) meant to follow the Ten Commandments, that kind of thing," Romenesko, 37, said.

more.....

http://www.postcrescent.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060509/APC0101/605090635/1003

[Strong Atheist]

1. More compassion from the Catholic church... nt.

[jukes]

2. truly astounding

how tied those people can be to medievalism.

[Hugin]

3. My Lounge sense has almost returned...

On the tip of my tongue I have a headline for this thread and it
includes the words, "Turkey Baster"...

How's about a hand?

[La Lioness Priyanka]

4. i find in vitro fertlization ethically disturbing too

still no one should be fired for personal decisions about their bodies that do affect others...